Auto adjustment of estimated driving range based on driving.

Automatic adjustment of estimated driving range based on driving habits…

I recently bought my Leaf, Dec. 17th, 2011, and I love it. Still getting used to the estimated driving range meter, or as some have termed it, guess-o-meter. I was told by Nissan, 1-877-NO GAS EV (664-2738), that the ‘car’ would learn my driving habits over the next few months and would automatically adjust my estimated driving range based on my driving habits. Curious if this is true, or is Nissan blowing smoke up my @$$. It really wouldn’t matter either way, I’m going to keep the car never-the-less, but I was curious if anyone that has had a leaf for several months can attest to this claim.

In a word: No. The GOM does look at your driving habits but only for the last 5-20 miles or so. Once again CS has shown that they are clueless...

tjbrinson said:

Automatic adjustment of estimated driving range based on driving habits…

I recently bought my Leaf, Dec. 17th, 2011, and I love it. Still getting used to the estimated driving range meter, or as some have termed it, guess-o-meter. I was told by Nissan, 1-877-NO GAS EV (664-2738), that the ‘car’ would learn my driving habits over the next few months and would automatically adjust my estimated driving range based on my driving habits. Curious if this is true, or is Nissan blowing smoke up my @$$. It really wouldn’t matter either way, I’m going to keep the car never-the-less, but I was curious if anyone that has had a leaf for several months can attest to this claim.

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:lol: :lol: :lol: Interesting idea. My driving varies so much I don't believe they could possibly do it. You will likely find that when you have a longer distance to go, you will drive more frugally. On short trips, you will likely not care, and enjoy the torque off the line.

Likely what they meant is you will figure it out - they never will, at least to that extent.

Watch the bars and your elevation gains/losses. Also watch the power use metering screen and realize you have a little over 20KWH to work with. If you are using 20K for an hour, you will run out shortly after that. Use only 10KW, and you can drive two hours.

I think a time to empty meter would be more accurate. If you are using this much energy you will have xxx minutes of driving left. Miles vary too much to really ever be accurate.

In short - Nissan made a half truth statement - the car does automatically adjust the meter based on your driving habits, but no one here believes it takes more than about ten minutes of data to adjust the number displayed. In a few months time you will understand it better, so the learning goes both ways me thinks they should have said.

For instance I have 10,000 + miles on mine, and the meter still has no clue that I will be going over a mountain tomorrow (As I do every Sunday), so it will say at the top I have 11 to 15 miles range when I actually will have 30 or more to get to where I am going. I assure you I will get there, likely with no battery warnings. This is a 140 mile RT with 3000' of elevation changes. Yes I charge to full at the destination. Clearly if it does learn my driving habits, it is a student in the bottom percentile of the class.

tjbrinson said:

Automatic adjustment of estimated driving range based on driving habits…

I recently bought my Leaf, Dec. 17th, 2011, and I love it. Still getting used to the estimated driving range meter, or as some have termed it, guess-o-meter. I was told by Nissan, 1-877-NO GAS EV (664-2738), that the ‘car’ would learn my driving habits over the next few months and would automatically adjust my estimated driving range based on my driving habits. Curious if this is true, or is Nissan blowing smoke up my @$$.

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No, it's not true. For me, after eight months, the GoM is still a GoM. However, it's worth noting that at lower state of charges (less than, say, four or five bars) I have observed that the GoM's predicted remaining range is quite reliable.

I thought as much. Thanks for the quick responses.

aqn said:

No, it's not true. For me, after eight months, the GoM is still a GoM. However, it's worth noting that at lower state of charges (less than, say, four or five bars) I have observed that the GoM's predicted remaining range is quite reliable.

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Based on recent experience, I'd have to agree. I've noticed 2 changes recently (over 3000 miles):
1) There's a LOT more miles in the last 2-3 bars
2) The DTE seems very accurate when I get down to 1-2 bars (verified by finally running down to VLB warning)

In over 12,000 miles I've noticed no changes other than that which occurred when I had the A/C firmware update. In general the GOM will always be more accurate near the bottom of the battery since a given percentage of error will be a smaller number...

Stanton said:

aqn said:

No, it's not true. For me, after eight months, the GoM is still a GoM. However, it's worth noting that at lower state of charges (less than, say, four or five bars) I have observed that the GoM's predicted remaining range is quite reliable.

Click to expand...

Based on recent experience, I'd have to agree. I've noticed 2 changes recently (over 3000 miles):
1) There's a LOT more miles in the last 2-3 bars
2) The DTE seems very accurate when I get down to 1-2 bars (verified by finally running down to VLB warning)

Click to expand...

I have noticed this, too, but I suspect the percentage error is going to be the same regardless of how many bars you have. After all, it's easy to estimate your range within 3 miles when you only have 10 miles left. That's the same as seeing 100 and only getting 70.

If your last 10 minutes (approximately) of driving "style" (conditions, speeds, etc.)
well matches your remaining driving "style", then ... the GoM (DTE) estimate
could be reasonably helpful.

However, the estimate toward the low end is even less accurate and less useful.

I believe the GoM turns completely "off" around the bottom of
the last fuel-Bar (about at LBW?), probably to discourage you
from using the "reserve" (where the SOC estimate is not so dependable).

Actually, the GoM starts flashing, but still showing a number, at LBW. It changes to three bars at VLBW. I have to agree with others that it is fairly reliable, though not really accurate because it is conservative, at the low end of its range. In my car, at least, I can say with near certainty that I will get LBW when the GoM is at 8, and VLBW when it is at 3. I know others see different numbers for those events.

(For Newbies: LBW is the visual and audio "Your battery is low" warning, VLBW is the second warning, that "Your battery is very low.")

Ray